scrabble slam

We keep a small basket in our car for road trips.  It's filled with tic tac toe sheets, mad libs, notebooks, pens and markers (crayons are a no-no, they melt!) and games.  One of my kid's favorite things to play in the car is Scrabble Slam.  It's a fun card game that requires a small playing surface, and is easily played, and stored, while on long road trips. 

Similar to Scrabble only in that the cards look like little scrabble tiles, there are several ways you can play the game. 

The standard game starts by dealing out all the cards.  Each player takes turns as they lay down one card at a time, making new words. 

The speedier, and preferred game by my kids is to start with a (friendly) four letter word, and using only one card at a time, make as many new words as possible.  It's fun and fast competition, each new word possibly blocking the other player from making a word.

I really like that there are many different ways the game can be played! We've also played longer words, and using more letters at one time to change your word.  This makes for a really challenging game, and when we first got our cards two years ago, I would often let my kids win.  I now find myself really challenged when playing with them, and bittersweetly look to the day that they can easily beat me! 

 

 

preschool field journal

My co-teacher and I made these cute little "field journals" for our preschool class as a last day of school gift.  They are adorable, and the idea was totally that of my co-teacher, Holley.  My only contribution was purchasing the natural looking pencils from Amazon, $2.67 a dozen.  They are made from sticks, and I love them!  But the pencils were even Holley's idea, she just told me what to buy.  She used paper bags for the cover, and recycled paper inside.  Raffia was used to tie the pages together.  The little note reads:

Parents:  We invite you to take your little ones on a "nature walk" and ask them to draw in their field journals what they find or see.  At their age, you may get a few scribbles or even a torn book by the end of your adventure.  But, the ideas of observing the world around and using their own ideas to record what they have found will be planted and hopefully, one day, blossom into a great love of nature and self-expression.   

walking in creekbeds

My children, in 2004, walking in the creekbed of my youth,
at our property in East Texas

When I was eleven my parents answered one of my biggest wishes, they purchased 20 acres in East Texas on Lake Livingston.  It was completely primitive, a small hunting cabin hidden by the pine forest.  For us it was a weekend camp, a summertime retreat.  I remember fondly time spent swimming in Lake Livingston (before the alligators took over), fishing with my dad and hunting the now silent bob white quail whose calls once filled the air.  My favorite past time was walking along the creek bed that ran through our property.  I, accompanied only by our dogs, would follow that creek for miles through the timber land in which our property sits like an island.  The animals I encountered are too numerous to recall, I think I saw it all.  I remember hearing a mountain lion scream once, sending myself and all five labradors running like kittens back home.  The dogs and I would wade in the cool waters, and swim in the deeper pools along the creek, low during the summer months but always with running water from the artesian springs along it.  I had no phone, walkie talkie or other way to communicate with my parents.  In today's views of parenting, they could be considered negletful, but that was the time when kids played outside from dawn to dusk, rarely checking in except to eat. 

Those memories are so magical in my mind, I want my children to have similar experiences, albeit more supervised.  While we still own the East Texas property, our visits are much less often.  At our home in the suburban DFW metroplex, we live several homes away from a creek.  Although mostly dry during the year, ponds are filled with fish, turtles and snakes.... and a good amount of urban trash.  Armed with a phone, check in instructions and an army of friends, I encourage my children to play outside, to explore and to act like, well, children.   However, our house rules are written in stone.  Don't talk to strangers.  Don't go inside houses without permission.  Imagine my surprise when I receive a message from a neighbor, telling me my 10 year old daughter and her friends were SWIMMING in the creek!  I stop short of punishing her ..... have I ever actually said, "Don't swim in the creek!"?  No, but isn't that one of the non spoken rules, you don't swim without supervision?   But imagine my shock a few days later when I receive another message that my daughter and friends were walking along the mostly dry creek beds and that the adjacent home owner is furious that they are on her property!  My reaction is a little different this time, because I don't think she is doing anything wrong!

I did my research.  As a canoeing enthusiast, I know that rivers and creeks are public access, even if landowners don't always appreciate it.  But Texas tresspassing laws aren't very clear in these areas.  The law, in fact, is meant to include walking as well as boating.   From Texas Parks and Wildlife, "Under a law dating from 1837, a stream is navigable so far as it retains an average width of 30 feet from its mouth up. The width measured is the distance between the fast (or firmly fixed) land banks. A stream satisfying the 30 foot rule is sometimes referred to as “statutorily navigable” or “navigable by statute.” Under a court decision, the public has rights along a stream navigable by statute just as if the stream were navigable in fact." 

It's important to understand that they mean the land banks, not the water inside the banks.  The water itself can be dry a portion of the year, and it doesn't matter.

"The entire bed is to be included in the width, not just the area covered by flowing water. The bed extends all the way between the fast land banks. These are the banks which separate the stream bed from the adjacent upland (whether valley or hill) and confine the waters to a definite channel. Further, stream segments having a width of less than 30 feet do not defeat the stream’s navigability by statute, so long as the stream’s width maintains an average of 30 feet or more." 

Armed with this little knowledge, you can feel safe in taking your kids out to wander, explore and discover all the amazing things you can find in a creek!

For more information on Texas Stream Navigation Laws, see Texas Parks and Wildlife's Texas River Guide.  http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/nonpwdpubs/water_issues/rivers/navigation/riddell/navigability.phtml#infact

River Legacy Paddling Trail

Entrance to the River Legacy Paddling Trail

Just before we put in, while waiting for my husband to return from parking our car, a young man and woman walked up to us.  My children were climbing over the canoe and kayak, and we were all wearing our life jackets and I was holding the paddles.  "Are you about to go in the river?"  the man in his early 20's asked me.  I smiled the awkward smile of someone who has just been asked a silly question, and nodded my head that I was.  "I could never do that," he continued, "I don't like to swim in any water where I can't see the bottom".  I glanced up at him, with a smirk on my face, shifting my camera hanging from around my neck, and replied, "Well, I'm planning to stay in the boat".




And although I'm not bothered by water that is less than transparent, I wouldn't go swimming in this stretch of the Trinity River.  The water that runs through the park is polluted, a ban is placed on consuming any fish from this portion of the river, (N of Fort Worth down through Freestone County).  That's not to say it isn't fine for paddling, and it was interesting to see the trash that lined the river.  How did a freestanding basketball goal get in the river? 

The entrance to the paddling trail is not in the main part of the park, but at a seperate entrance off Collins.  Bring a canoe trailer or strong arms for hauling your boat up and down the steep bank to the put in.  The paddling trail map would have you paddling upstream for a mile to a small dam, and then returning.  If you choose to portage around the dam, you can continue to paddle upstream 8 miles through the park, before returning.

We choose to paddle downstream away from the park, which is off the paddling trail.  Even with a nice current, the river was slow and easy to paddle, with just a few fun riffles along the way.  My 12 year old son was in his kayak, and the four of us in our canoe.  My son received his kayak this past Christmas, and as a mom, it makes me a little nervous to have him out of our boat.  However, being much lighter than us, he was able to glide about the river with little effort.  The trip was very relaxing and hard to believe that you are in downtown Arlington.  We only saw a handful of people, mostly fishing along the banks.  I wonder if they know about that consumption ban? 

We paddled almost all the way to Hwy 360 before turning back.  The upstream trip was laborous, but we only stopped to portage around one of the riffles we came down.  We might have been able to make it back up, but we really didn't want to go swimming in there.  Like climbing a mountain, or hiking a trail, when we made our last paddle stroke we were hit with the adrenalin rush, that primordial pride of accomplishing something, of conquering the river (even if most of that river retained a mirror like sheen most of the trip)!  It's a great feeling to emerge, to say to yourself, I owned that!  The greatest boost, though, is seeing that feeling, that self appreciation in your child when they know that they, for a short time, owned the river!

Being an avid paddler, and always encouraging other to give it a try, I can't help but think that River Legacy has a unique opportunity to offer this experience to so many urban Texans, who might never have the chance otherwise. I would love to one day see a put in constructed upriver in the park, and canoe and kayak rentals and a shuttle to be offered. 

My Mommy Tips:

Picnic tables are provided in the park at the same area as the put in.  We had a nice picnic under shade trees.  Numerous fast food restaurants are a quick drive away.  So are potties, as there are none in that section of the park. 

Potties and a playground are located in the main park, off of Green Oaks. 

Links:
River Legacy Park   http://riverlegacy.org/

River Legacy Paddling Trail; http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/boat/paddlingtrails/inland/arlington_riverlegacyparks/index.phtml

Cheese Pizza Soup

We love tomato soup, but my kids wanted to try to do something a little different one afternoon, and Cheese Pizza Soup was born!

You can add veggies and pepperoni or sausage, to make a Supreme Pizza Soup, too!

Gather all your Ingredients:

1 can Tomato Soup
2 Tbsp. Spaghetti Sauce
Italian Seasonings
1/4 cup Mozarella Cheese
Packaged Pizza Dough
2 tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

For the Pizza Crouton:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Roll out packaged pizza dough

Drizzle on Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and spread all around pizza dough

Sprinkle Italian Seasonings on dough

Cut dough into approximately 1'' by 2'' strips

Spray a cookie sheet with Pam, and place pizza dough strips on sheet

Cook for 11 minutes.

For the soup:

Open can of soup, pour into a sauce pan, and add 1 can of water

Add 2 tablespoons of Spaghetti Sauce

Heat on Medium Heat until warm

Ladle into bowls, garnish with Mozarella Cheese and Pizza Crouton

Benbrook Nature Trail

Once upon a time, we set out to go hiking in Benbrook.  I wasn't familiar with Benbrook, a land where GPS doesn't seem to work too well.  We never found the trail we set out to find that morning, but we did find the Benbrook Horseback and Nature Trail.  I'm okay with that, because I really liked the trail.  I'm easy going and spontaneous like that..... 

The first reason I really liked the trail is because, I was set to hike, and tired of being in the car. In a world of hard to located trailheads, this one was easy to find.  There was also ample parking.  There was even this nifty sign, marking the trail and park boundaries. 

The second reason is the length of the trail.  At  7 miles long, one way, it would make a nice 14 mile hike.  Now, my four year old isn't going to make 14 mile hike.  But there are several points you can start the trail, making for numerous future hiking trips with him.  As we entered, we had to cross Dutch Creek, navigating across on some rocks.  That's a highlight of any hike for a kid!  According to the map, the trail goes through some shaded forest areas, grassy and rocky terrains!

The third reason is that it's also a horseback riding trail, and any opportunity I have to see a horse, well, I'm all over it!  It should go without saying, that anytime you are hiking, you should watch where you step.  On this trail, if you don't watch where you step, the horse poo could be all over you. 
If you take your dog, they must be on a leash not exceeding 6'. 

And my last reason is the proximity to so many other things to do.  The day we visited, my four year old only went about 1/2 mile down, he turned back and RAN, preferring to visit the playground we passed while searching for the other trailhead!  Some days, you have to know when you have already lost the battle, and I surrendered.  Located nearby is also Benbrook Lake, several playgrounds and picnic areas, assorted fast food if you forgot to pack a lunch, and Benbrook Stables. 

For maps and more information on the trails; http://www.swf-wc.usace.army.mil/benbrook/images/Maps/HorseTrailMap%20web.pdf

Benbrook Stables sit just to the west, and they use the trails for trail rides.  I'm already trying to schedule a day to come back for a trail ride!
http://www.benbrookstables.com/BenbrookStables/TrailRides.html

 My Mommy Tips:

I didn't see a potty along the trail, so stop at the Y or someplace along Hwy 377. 

Dutch Creek was a nice, shallow little creek the day we visited.  Perfect for searching and learning about water animals, such as tadpoles and minnows.  Take along a net, magnifying glass and container.  Remember to return your creatures back to the water when they are finished examining  them!

Zombie Tag by Hannah Moskowitz

So, what if zombies aren't really mindless creatures bent only on eating your brains, but instead just kinda grumpy and boring?  My kids, who have what I view as an unhealthy fascination with zombies, are always asking me zombie questions... Can they swim?  How long can they go without eating?  Which I usually try to answer with, "I don't know, since zombie's don't really exist, but ...."   However they never considered that zombie's just want to sit around and nap.  The author of Zombie Tag, nineteen year old Hannah Moskowitz did, and wrote a funny and interesting story for the middle school reader.

Our zombie hoard, aren't they scary?

After reading the book, my kids immediately asked if we (make no mistake, the word "we" in their request meant "me") could organize a giant game of Zombie Tag.   I thought, sure, we (again, me) could do that!  It would be a great end of the school year event.  I'm always excited about them playing outside! When we started talking about a location, they completely stumpted me. They wanted to play at a cemetery.  A cemetery!  The mother side of my brain said, "Absolutely NOT.  It's too disrespectful!" but my inner child, which makes up a HUGE part of my being, was saying "Oh, that would be soooo cool!"  But my inner child lost this round, and we choose a wooded park near our home.  They agreed on following most of the rules of the game in the book, except they wanted to leave out the spatulas!  "WHAT?" I exclaimed!  It would be so cool to see everyone running aroung with a spatula, but they insisted.

The zombies have surround a human,
who has climbed a tree.

The day of Zombie Tag we had about 11 kids show up out of the 37 tentative RSVPs I had originally received.  Their ages ranged from 4 to 12.  It was really fun to watch them as they ran screaming around the park!   

Rules for Zombie Tag:

Everyone draws to see who is the zombie.
Someone yells GO! and they scatter.  The zombie tries to bluff his/her friends into running with them.  They then have 10 seconds to "become" the zombie.
We also ruled out biting, or pretend biting.  We just tagged.  Once you are tagged, then you, too, are a zombie.  You now try to tag as many others as you can! 
You play until everyone has been tagged.  The last survivor is the winner....

My Mommy Tips:

• INSIST on the spatula!  The kids get so excited running and chasing, and sometimes it's hard to know who is a zombie and who isn't.  The spatula, aside from being hilarious, makes a perfect way to tell the difference! 

recycled pallet garden

You know the weird feeling you get when you learn a new word, and then suddenly you are hearing or seeing it over and over again?  It's such a strange feeling, and even has a name, the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon.  Just watch, you are going to hear it about it again, soon!
My recent experience with Baader-Meinhof included garden pallets, not that I hadn't HEARD of garden pallets before, but....  it's like this.  I saw this garden project posted on Guard'n Planet's facebook page (which I love their blog, you should check them out!) http://www.facebook.com/guardnplanet?ref=ts
which recycled old pallets and used them as a raised garden bed!  I immediately wanted to do it, but thought where in the world do I find old, wooden pallets?   That very day, my neighbor just two houses down put one out for the garbage pickup!  Within 2 weeks, I had (actually my husband and  kids, who I bribed into going and bringing home) collected the 3 pallets I wanted all from different neighbor's trash!  It's just crazy how that works!

Here's how we did it:
Painting the pallets was fun, something that really excited the kids about this project!  We used a gloss spray paint. 
We turned the dirt under where the pallets would fit, and put down a weed barrier.  Then we added some old hay to stabilize the rockier pallets. 
I bought some compost and potting soil, and began filling the gaps in the pallets.  In the picture we have planted jalapenos, but I also have okra, eggplant, bell peppers, tomatoes, and melons to add to it! 
My big concern was our dogs, who immediately came and checked it out.  I was afraid they would think it was a new sunbathing patio for them.  So far, they have left it completely alone, which I contribute to the spaces in the slats. 

My Mommy Tips:

• I don't recommend using white.  The old wood just soaked up the paint, and even after 2 cans I wasn't satisfied.  The red and blue only needed one can of paint each. 
• Buy kid size gardening gloves.  The pallets are just splinters waiting to happen.!

San Jacinto Monument and battlegrounds

The San Jacinto Monument

Every lover of Texas history should visit the San Jacinto Monument, where Texas secured her place in history as a free nation!  But there is alot more to do and enjoy at the monument.  Growing up in nearby Pasadena, I have countless memories of field trips to the monument, family outings in the park and fishing trips.  
The grounds are beautiful, covered with trees and perfect for a picnic!  The day we were there, a local archeology group was conducting a dig, and my kids enjoyed watching them as they found .... nothing.  Well, not while we were there, but it was fun watching!  There is a nice hike, it starts off on a boardwalk through the marsh, then takes you down to Houston Ship Channel, and back through more of the marsh.  You can encounter lots of native wildlife, especially waterfowl. 

View from the observation tower

The observation tower is the highlight of a visit to the monument.  15 feet higher than the Washington Monument, thanks to the star at the top, it is the tallest column monument in the world!  An elevator ride takes you up to the top.  You can also watch the movie, Texas Forever, in the theatre.  Texas artifacts can be found in the Monument's museum, including Sam Houston's personal diary!

My Mommy Tips:

• The park bathrooms have real plumbing, not port a potties, which is a good thing!
• Take the fishing poles, there are lots of great places to fish. 
• Pack a lunch, the museum does not have food, and there are not any really close restaurant nearby. 
• For a nice, sit down lunch or dinner, try the Monument Inn, and watch as ship pass along the Houston Ship Channel; http://www.monumentinn.com/ 

For more information on the San Jacinto Museum; http://www.sanjacinto-museum.org/

Nearby attractions:
Battleship Texas; http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/battleship-texas

Armand Bayou Nature Center; http://abnc.org/

where the wild things are

Where The Wild Things Are was one of my favorite books as a child, and one of my favorites to read to my children.  I heard of the book's author and illustrator, Maurice Sendak's recent passing, I was saddened and thought of a way to honor him and his book in our home.  When the kids arrived home from school, we read the book together while eating their after school snack, then I suprised them with some new art supplies; construction paper, glue, crayons and markers.  My older kids helped my little one (and humored him a little), as we drew pictures of the wild things, with their terrible teeth and terrible eyes and terrible claws.  They cut them out and then my four year old put on his dinosaur costume, we didn't have a wolf costume, and he "tamed" them.  We then put on him a construction paper crown, and we all danced a "wild rumpus" with the paper cutouts!  We finished the evening by eating dinner together in my boy's room, "and it was still hot.".

My daughter and I took the art of Where The Wild Things Are a little further, and painted the colorful flowers found at the beginning and end of the book on a window screen.  The texture of the screen resembles the unique drawing in the book.

My Mommy Tips:

• Instead of free handing the pictures, use coloring pages found online; http://www.coloring-book.info/coloring/coloring_page.php?id=224
• If you have more money or time than I did, or if you want to celebrate this book at Halloween, there are Where The Wild Things Are costumes available.  I think a Where The Wild Things Are Halloween Party would be adorable! http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=366713&catid=185837&aid=333971&aparam=rubies_costumes_where_th&CAID=878d9fc1-21f3-46ff-9b8b-f756fa1fff04

Trinity Trail, Fort Worth

Before you read about how much I enjoyed the Trinity Trails, and I did, I need to make a point here.

Do you see the proximity of my four year old, on his little bike, with the RIVER?  I posted this picture first to prove that I am loosening up on my fear of water (where my children are concerned) because he IS NOT WEARING A LIFEJACKET! 
I mean, yeah, I brought it, it's in the car, but I DIDN'T PUT IT ON HIM!
And I wanted to...

If you are looking for a fun place for family bike rides, you have got to visit the Trinity Trails in Fort Worth!  You can ride for miles on the wide concrete trail along the Trinity River.  The paved trail is also easy for my four year old to ride, since he is still in training wheels.  There are very few steep inclines or declines, which are important when riding with a little one, and no car traffic.   There are lots of places to stop and rest, and play.  We enjoyed a picnic at Trinity Park, where Mayfest is held each year.  It has a nice playground, huge pecan trees and miniature train rides! We grabbed a cool drink on the way back at the Woodshed Smokehouse, which even offers bike racks to tired riders coming up from the river.  Their patio overlooks the water, and is so relaxing.  Too relaxing, because I didn't react fast enough when my four year old took off his bike helmet and THREW it in the river!  Luckily, the current was slow, and we were able to fish it out with a long stick!  And, I took some relief in knowing that, at least, it floats!

My Mommy Tips

• Trinity Park has port a potties, so make sure the kids go at home.
• 
  
• The Forest Park Miniature Train only takes cash.  Their times vary on the season, the weather, etc., so check before making promises.  It's a fun, approximately 35 minute ride along the river.  http://www.fpmt.us/

For more information, and maps to of the trails, http://www.trinitytrails.org/

  

nature shirts

Want a fun summer art project?  Paint t-shirts using stencils made from leaves, flowers, twigs and other items found while outside.  It makes a great activity while camping, at the lake, beach or park! 

My daughter's Girl Scout troop loves to decorate t-shits.  It's fun for them to wear matching shirts they made when we are going to an event.  At our recent campout we made "nature" shirts.  They hunted for natural items around the camp, and laid them out into a collage on the shirt.  If you have time, press the items down for about 10 minutes, using something flat, but not so heavy that they will be crushed.  We used spray fabric paint, applying either a little or a lot, for different designs.  They loved it and I liked that they were really looking at the leaves and flowers for specific designs, and noticing some of the wonders found in nature!

I found the idea at http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/nature-t-shirt-660632/  They used bleach, but I wanted the girls to make it themselves.  I think the paint worked great!

Texas Drive Ins

Brazos Drive In, Granbury

Summer means so many things to me, but close to the top of the list are warm nights at the drive in.  I've only been to a couple of these, but I sure think it's time to visit a few more! 


In Abilene, visit the Town & Country Drive-In.  It originally opened in 1956. 
http://towncountrydrivein.com/DriveIn.aspx
Like them on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TownCountryDriveIn

 In Rule is The Tower Drive In http://www.towerdriveintheatre.com/

The Tascosa Drive In http://tascosadrivein.com/ has entertained folks in Amarillo since 1952. Visit their facebook page to see what's playing;  http://www.facebook.com/TascosaDriveIn?ref=ts

Clarendon boast the Sandell Drive In, check out their facebook page for the latest movies; http://www.facebook.com/sandelldrivein

The Midway Drive In, near Turkey, was built in 1955.  http://www.midwaydrive-intexas.com/index.html and their facebook page; http://www.facebook.com/pages/Midway-Drive-In-Theater/124354774254121

The Stars and Stripes Drive In in Lubbock; http://driveinusa.com/  Visit their facebook page http://www.facebook.com/starsandstripesdrivein?ref=ts

Lamesa has the Sky Vue Theatre http://skyvuelamesa.com/

In Weslaco is the Wes-Mer; http://wesmerdrivein.com/

Visit Shiner and The Cross Roads Drive In http://www.crossroadsdrivein.com/

The Graham Drive In has been around since 1955; http://www.grahamdrivein.com/  And they have a facebook page; http://www.facebook.com/GrahamDriveIn

The Brazos Drive In, in Granbury, has been open since 1952!  Families arrive early to be certain of getting a premier parking spot in the front row.  Bring your lawn chairs and blankets to spread out on the grass during the movie, or a football or frisbee for fun before the 1st and 2nd features!  The Brazos also offers theatre style seating by the concession stands!
http://www.thebrazos.com/home.htm Follow along on their facebook page; http://www.facebook.com/brazosdrivein?ref=ts

Tyler offers you The Sky Vue http://www.tylerdrivein.com/

The Galaxy Drive In in Ennis has 5 screens http://galaxydriveintheatre.com/; http://www.facebook.com/galaxydriveintheatre?ref=ts

Starburst Bingo

Think Bingo, with a tasty twist. 

This weekend I'm going with my daughter's Girl Scout troop on our first cabin camping trip!  We are all very excited, and the girls had fun deciding games and activities for the trip.  One of the games we are going to play is Starburst Bingo.  It's played like a regular Bingo game, except instead of using a "dobber" or little plastic disk, we use Starburst candies. 


What's so fun or different about that?  Well, imagine your just about to say Bingo, when the caller pulls out a number that's not a number, it's a direction to eat one of the yellow Starburst off your card.  Or eat a pink Starburst off your neighbor to the left's card.  Or place an orange Starburst (my personal favorite) on the card of your neighbor to the right.  It's fun and guess what you get when you yell "Bingo"!  A package of Starburst!